“I’ve already won, haven’t I? ” Soldier No.2’s gaze passed over Wager, whose face was filled with impatience at the doorway, and focused on the corridor ahead.
“Look at me! ” Cuckoo’s sharp cry rang out, “You’re under arrest. The winner is me! “
Soldier No.2 glanced sideways at it. Clearly, this creature had been lying in ambush somewhere on his person all along—likely in that file bag he’d tossed behind him.
— “According to the rules, you’ve now gained complete upper hand and may announce victory whenever you wish. However, this new guest seems to have a different opinion to express. “
“That’s right, I am the final guest, tonight. ” Little Bird shifted its feet, its tiny jewel-like round eyes reflecting Soldier No.2’s approach toward him. Suddenly, that silhouette rushed close and thrust a sword at him.
Shh!
Cuckoo spread its wings and swiftly traced a circle across the room. The name card on its beak glowed with faint threads, as if some living creature’s shadow was sealed within.
“Stop! If you dare attack me again, I’ll release my helper! “
A faint, stifling aura spread through the room. “What is that? ” Karl, who had finally returned, asked, taking in the scene inside. Wager’s face was full of anxiety as he replied, “I’m not sure either. “
Then they heard the clatter of hurried footsteps coming down the hallway.
Yang Zicang arrived, his face full of anxiety.
“You lost, you bastard. So this is your brilliant idea to snatch this floor from me! ” Wager extended his hands, their phantom grasps seizing Yang Zicang’s shoulders, only to have them slapped away as Yang anxiously looked toward the door.
That bird, last seen in the Ya Etheric Realm, was inside the room, shrieking loudly as it was chased by the man wielding a Holy Sword.
“You’re not even afraid of that?! “
“Go ahead and release it, ” Soldier No. 2’s gaze was bloodshot red. “I’d like to see just how strong these heretical bastards sealed away by No. 4 really are. “
The patterns on Little Bird’s name tag grew scorching hot.
｛I, the Great Quadrilateral, once again sense the presence of a Defender.｝
With a thunderous crash, the patterns on the name tag abruptly expanded, materializing into a three-dimensional, transparent force field suspended beneath the ceiling. Within it, a spotted monster appeared, its arms crossed over clawed hands, its body bulging with thick flesh, and a pair of meaty horns protruding from its head.
The monster standing within the force field lifted its gaze to examine Soldier No. 2 in the room, then shifted its attention to the room itself, as well as Yang Zicang and Wager beyond.
An overwhelming aura expanded outward.
“As long as I kill him, I’ll be free, right? ” the Defender said, its gaze locking onto Soldier No. 2 below.
“That’s right! Beat it, and this room is ours! “Cuckooflapped its wings twice, then dashed to the doorway, tilting its head to stare at the utterly unrecognizableYang Zicang. “Wow, I thought this was fun, but it turned out to be just some hotel rooms. What were you hiding last time,｛ failure ｝? “
Yang Zicangnarrowed his eyes, glaring up at this detestable creature’s taunting.
There were several loud bangs in the room; the monster, whose body was stockier than a man’s, grabbedSoldier No. 2‘s attack and batted it back. With each punch it threw, the space was torn apart like by a storm, sending bed sheets and decorative debris from the walls flying.
Their figures clashed and sprinted into battle with lightning speed.Yang Zicangassessed and estimated that their speed was already close to his own maximum, but when it came to agility, he probably couldn’t keep up with them.
“So,failure, how do you that bidding thing you mentioned work? “Little Birdflapped its wings and tilted its head.
Yang Zicangglared at it with a hard, narrowed gaze—couldSoldier No. 4‘s hand actually reach in here?
No matter which of the two inside won, his control over this place would decline, and it might even drop to zero.
“I no longer have the right to participate in the exhibition, do I? “Yang Zicangturned his head to look at the copper-tube loudspeaker in the corridor.
—“That’s correct. As a regular customer, I personally recommend you start withdrawing now and prepare for the bidding process. “
Taking advantage of Little Bird’s chaotic dodging of attacks in the wind, Karl tugged at Yang Zicang’s sleeve and pulled him aside two steps. “Chairman, do you have any ideas? “
Wager clenched his fists and walked over.
“How are you going to make up for our agreement, you bastard? “
“I suggest we find a way to bring him into the Sub-Ether Space? ” Karl said.
“It’s impossible to open the Sub-Ether Space at the Filü Inn, at least not for ordinary guests. ” Wager took a deep breath, his suspicion of the man before him never wavering.
Suppressing his anger, he said, “The situation inside is special now. I have no way to expel them anymore. “
Xue Qi and Hua Mi also ran over. They had heard the commotion, and after quickly learning the situation, Hua Mi’s face turned deathly pale.
“This is no longer about how to solve the problem. With them inside, how can we leave? “
“The only option is to hide in the basement tavern first and then think of another way. “
“No need. ” Yang Zicang felt for something in the model on his chest. “Once they come out, I’ll have a way to deal with them. “
-｛Distributor May Valkyrie is observing my current life experience.｝
Several distributor beacon sounds rang out.
Yang Zicang, his outer coat cut and tattered, stood at the doorway, watching the chaotic battle scene inside. At the same time, he silently memorized their fighting techniques. These were the real combat experiences with those who possessed formidable strength.
Suddenly, another heavy thud echoed out—the defender’s fists, coming down like a barrage of grinding millstones, smashed into Soldier No. 2, whose heel had just been hooked off balance by Little Bird, instantly tilting the evenly matched fight in their favor.
“Ow, that hurts! ” Cuckoo scurried aside like a rat in a flash, frantically pecking at his twisted wing. The others outside saw its deformed body quickly begin to glow faintly as it healed.
It’s the light from the Sub-Ether Space!
“Come on, we’re gonna win! ” Little Bird chirped with excitement, having fixed its feathers.
Soldier No. 2 suddenly thrust out a hand to block his opponent’s arms. The muscles on both sides’ arms swelled up, straining tightly against each other, locking the struggle into place. “These people don’t belong here. This is a ganging up ambush—I demand a formal complaint! “
The others outside stared in shock at the scene. Clearly, their opponent was aware of some rules within the inn. This had been a long-planned scheme.
“Heh. Don’t blame anyone else for being too trusting, hero, ” Wager sneered, casting a sarcastic glance at the grim-faced Yang Zicang.
— “After review, we find this complaint valid. “
“The complaint is invalid! ” Little Bird hopped around, shouting. “I refuse it! “
A few round, plump-looking fuzzy mice shuffled single-file down the stairs, weaving back and forth in a wobbly line as they rubbed their eyes.
When they reached the doorstep and glimpsed the chaos inside, they all startled and leaped back in unison. Pointing at the damaged walls and floor inside, they broke into a frantic chorus of urgent “Squeaks! ” back and forth.
“—Countdown begins in five… four… ” came the voice from the brass horn.
The dejected rats lined up in a row, leaping all at once.
“You all need to leave now, ” Yang Zicang said to the people beside him. The two women nodded and, feeling anxious, ran downstairs.
“In just a few more seconds, he’ll be able to bid on this room! ” Wager said through gritted teeth.
Yang Zicang watched the scene calmly, his mind racing. According to his current timeline, he had only one chance to pull this off.
Pah-pah!
The yarn rats leaped high into the air once more.
“Eek! What do we do now! ” Little Bird spun wildly mid-air. “Lost too much strength from being locked up too long, Cuckoo? Hurry up and use your spots! “
“Hah. I wouldn’t risk my neck for a bunch of idiots like you! “
The Defender’s arms began to glow red-hot, while the arms of Soldier No. 2 darkened with scorched markings.
“I actually have an idea, ” Yang Zicang called out from outside. The rats paused and looked up, their heads spinning with confusion. “Little Bird, how about a temporary alliance? That would make me part of your team. “
Cuckoo’s eyes darted shrewdly.
“A clever plan! This way, I just need you big guys to take down this little one. Do you agree, Soldier No. 1? “
“Piss off! ” The Defender snarled.
Pop pop!
The rustle of leaping footsteps echoed once more from the rug outside.
“—Two countdown numbers remaining. “
“I agree! ” Little Bird yelled.
— “Good, then you have already failed.“
“Ye… Huh?“
With a thunderous roar, Soldier No. 2 suddenly erupted with a powerful surge of energy, sending the bizarre being pinning him down flying backward. The man dusted himself off, turned his head to look at the few people at the door, and a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
“Excellent, Mr. Yang Bucheng. From here on out, this is my domain.“
The force field on the door began to weaken.
Wager heard the voice emanating from the Key; in ten seconds, he would be able to expel those in the room back to the outside world. But he had already earned the right to bid for this room at any moment.
He glanced obliquely back at the monster now temporarily isolated by the force field, and stepped over to the doorway. He opened his mouth, his voice faint, and softly said to Wager:
“I will kill you immediately.“
Yang Zicang inserted himself in front of Wager, who was trembling with rage.
“Your opponent is me. We aren’t finished yet.“
“You?” Soldier No. 2 burst into laughter. “You can’t even withstand a single full-force blow from me.“
“Three seconds left.” Behind him, Wager was wreathed in black mist, twin rings of light glowing in his eyes. “I hope you can redeem your mistake.“
Three… two, one…
Just as the force field shattered with a crack, Yang Zicang’s body suddenly erupted with a searing, shattering sound like the world tearing itself apart.
His eyes blazed crimson, his face twisted into one of a demonic asura.
“You’re the one who should die! ” His jaws parted wide, and he roared from deep within his throat.
｛I have found the “Revolt of Bewilderment. “｝
{Will… be… jammed… }
As Soldier No. 2 stared in shock, it was as if countless illusory bullet-clips and shells were hurled his way. The moment he came to and turned around, he looked down at his own chest—a faint blur akin to several silver-backed elephants shimmering across a dreamscape: there, an arm without a shred of intact skin had already pressed against it. A strange, dazed sensation slowly spread outward from that point.
“You… ” With a clatter, this body crashed to the ground. At that very moment, Little Bird had already whisked away with a swift ‘swish,’ vanishing to the other end of the building.
Yang Zicang let the Void Disorder Chrono-Blade slide from his sleeve. Wager behind him gaped in astonishment as he watched the man lift the sword—its dark, faintly rippling blade suspended between Soldier No. 2’s chaotic, muddled eyes.
The White Shadow Mind Dragon extended outward from his body. This time, it bit down with gritted force and yanked fiercely, pulling out a strangely distorted human-shaped psychic entity—gripped from a place where Soldier No. 2’s body parted like evening fog in battle moonlight—its chest hollowed into a deep cavity, where a erratic, roiling five-colored energy lazily drifted.
“Who told you to come in? ” Yang Zicang, with the same flickering light of chaos on his own chest, stared it down and asked, “What’s Bai Yuxian’s mission? “
{I… will not… tell you… anything. }
“And who else among you is scheming here? ” Wager echoed behind him, mimicking the question.
{Heh… I won’t… tell you… who else, either. }
Even in this state, the telepathic entity before him still insisted on keeping its thoughts from revealing the organization’s secrets.
With a soft thud, Yang Zicang, his emotions numb, drove his blade into Soldier No. 2’s forehead. Suddenly, his gaze caught the seam where the scalp met the hair.
A faint, intricate stitch mark was hidden among the roots of the hair.
Had it not been for the momentary link between the two, forged by “The Dazed Uprising, ” Yang Zicang might have missed this subtle anomaly.
He crouched down to examine it, then rose with a sigh.
No wonder he was so powerful—perhaps the Admiral he had known before had long since died.
-｛Distributor Loki Tata Mingqi expresses “amazement ” and wishes to purchase this “Glorious Radiance. “｝
As his consciousness gradually began to cloud, Yang Zicang withdrew “The Dazed Uprising. ” It transformed into pure, ethereal energy, returning to merge back into the ring on his chest. But in that hazy moment, Yang Zicang felt the vague outline of a small record disc emerge upon his chest.
｛I invested 10N in the KiKi Brand Double-sided Golden Skull Gem Pendant.｝
｛The KiKi Brand Double-sided Golden Skull Gem Pendant begins to catalogue the brand-new experiences of my life.｝
｛After careful selection, I prioritized cataloguing the experiences most worthy of remembrance in this moment.｝
-｛Glorious Radiance: Defeat a powerful threat who invaded the inn.｝
“Which one of you wants this Radiance? ” Yang Zicang spoke as if to the air itself, “Name your price. This is a Radiance concerning the inn. “
｛Distributor Loki. Tata Mingqi indicates feeling “willing “.｝
Yang Zicang ignored him.
｛Distributor February. Di’an indicates a bid of 200%.｝
｛Distributor April. Odysseus indicates a bid of 150%.｝
｛Distributor May. Valkyrie indicates a bid of 200%.｝
The mutated humanoid monster in the room had already vanished. Wager activated his Clover Seal but couldn’t find a thing.
“That bird still seems to be here. ” Wager spoke with a hint of melancholy, having caught another glimpse of a hidden card possessed by the man before him.
“Oh, I sure am still here~ ” A figure flickered in and out of existence around them.
Yang Zicang’s eyes gradually cleared, and a subtle ripple appeared where Little Bird had just manifested.
“So it seems it can enter the sub-Ætheric field even here. “
“You guessed right, Cuckoo~ ” A voice suddenly emanated from in front of the cardboard on the bedside table; it stared at the two ‘B’ letters on the card, “Now I can reveal my full name, Cuckoo! “
The paper remained perfectly still until it was rapped twice with aclick-clack, causing it to tremble.
“You don’t seem worried at all about being trapped in here, ” Yang Zicang said with a taunting smile, watching it closely.
The rats, in a furious panic, darted along the edge of the door into the disaster-stricken room.
Little Bird oddly turned its head, “Why should I worry? I can just hide on any of you and leave, lah~ “
“You! ” Wager pointed at the bird.
“If you threaten me, I’ll unleash my minion #1 to punch you twice. “
“Squeak squeak, ah ga squeak squeak!!! “
Karl chimed in from the side, “Mr. Wager, still want to leave now? “
“Leave… ” Wager wanted to curse twice but held back. He glanced around, then looked at Yang Zicang, and said into the hallway loudspeaker, “What should we do now, Manager Shirley? Does that guy’s bidding story still count? “
There was a moment of silence from the loudspeaker.
— “It counts. But because of your agreement, even bidding actions must be subject to the agreement. So, this bidding experience is no longer valid. “
Cuckoo lifted its head in shock, “What are you talking about? What agreement?! “
“Can’t you understand? It’s an agreement stating this experience is useless now! “
Holding the business card, Yang Zicang’s figure instantly accelerated, knocking aside a velvet-coated rat with striped markings that was just rushing toward the door.
｛I am the “Trajectory Master “!｝
This black shadow, swift as the wind, rushed before Cuckoo in an instant, reaching out to grab it.
Little Bird sneered and shot straight up into the air.
With a slap, Yang Zicang’s palm slammed down on the spot where it had taken off.
The tiny Cuckoo, hanging upside down from the ceiling, flashed a sly grin. It twisted its head sideways, peering down at the exploded wreck of the guest room below: “Oh, my foolish stray runner, Yang Zicang~ Cuckoo~ “
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